


Long live her majesty, the Holy Empress!

by Riascelia



Series: The Holy Empress of the Imperial Throne [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Betrayal, Bisexual Female Character, F/F, Japanese Character(s), Oaths & Vows, Questioning character, Right and Wrong, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-19 05:09:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9420104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riascelia/pseuds/Riascelia
Summary: In the nation of Shen'ra, the imperial family has governed and led with fairness and strength for hundreds of years. Now, civil strife and advancing foreign powers seek to upend the imperial house to take control over its people and land. Can the new empress secure a future for her people? Can the heavenly general protect the emperor and his house from unseen enemies? Can the new shogun be trusted to lead the armies to victory or will he crush the empire with defeat?





	

**Author's Note:**

> kk so I suck at writing but i love it too much to not so heres a short. like everything else i write its got f/f bc I'm addicted and really a piece of trash for fluff, angst, and not about that whole m/f thing cause i reeeeeeeeally suck at writing that like you don't even want to know holy mother of god. hope you like it, give me comments and such. I might continue if i get ideas and inspiration. already working on some star wars, fallen london, pokemon, and torchlight 2 so yah know. maybe it'll all be trash but maybe someone will like it. byebye

“YOUR MAJESTY! GET DOWN.”

            I grab the emperor and push his head down as a hail of arrows break through the flaming wooden wall, paintings and decorations falling over us. As the arrows stop I shove the rubble off him and haul him to his feet. I glance through the broken timbers at the flaming city, sounds of fighting drifting up from the courtyard.

            “My loyal general, what has happened? I’ve heard no reports of enemy approach.”

            I gritted my teeth and hurried him along the smoking passage, “Neither have I ser. I do not like to say it but I believe we have been betrayed.”

            “The shogun.”

            “My thoughts exactly your holiness. Now quickly we must make haste to the tenshu and meet up with loyal defenders.”

            We ran down the passage, ducking under flaming doorways until the walls and floors became stone. A soldier waited at the door and quickly ran to us.

            “Your majesty! Are you unhurt? We have been betrayed! The shogun turns upon us. We must-”

            I watched his hand slip to his sword and I didn’t take another hint. I slid my own sword from my scabbard and cut him down, a red slash across his chest. He grasped at his armor before falling backwards.

            “Why did you do that? Are you a traitor?”

            “No but he was. We must keep moving. He either ran from the fight like a coward or he was looking to kill you.”

            We ventured deeper into the fortress, away from the sounds of battle and war. Finally we reached a massive set of wooden and metal red doors, decorated with gold designs. I shoved them open and ushered the emperor in. Past the doors was the tenshu approach, a mountainous and rocky path up a cliff face to the tenshu. The last retreat and defensive hold of the citadel and the final stand for its defenders. Samurai and guards rushed up to us to escort the emperor up to the building while I pulled aside some of the officers.

 

>             “What news is there?”

            “None at all my general. We have received nothing. No retreating defenders, enemies, or peasants.”

            I mused as I looked over our present forces, “Our enemy is either cruel, cunning, or sickly. I do not like it. Ready all forces for defensive maneuvers and retaliation. Withdraw to the top of the cliff. Sending men to their deaths at the bottom does not sit right with me.”

            “We would gladly-”

            “Enough. We set up at the top. Split 25 75 blades to arrows. I will join the blades at the stairs. Send for ammunition, water, and medics. We will not fail here due to lack of resource.”

            The head officer bowed, “Of course my lord. It will be done.”

            I adjusted my armor and sash holding my two katana while looking at the red gate below. They knew everything. Our patrols, the easiest and fasted route into the city, the gates, everything. How? Who?

            A straw hatted archer runs up and bows, holding out the imperial nobori. I take it and and plant it next to me on the cliff, the wind rustling the red silken material with a golden chrysanthemum emblem. Another soldier walks up to me, bows, and sits with his legs over the side of the cliff face.

            “You think this is it? Huh Orochi?

            “I would recommend you address me properly as a samurai of your stature should Eni.”

            He shrugs, adjusting his helmet, “I thought childhood friends could skip a little past that. Especially since if it really is the shogun, we won’t live to see the morning.”

            “Perhaps. Our duty is to the imperial house and if they arrive to remove us from this cliff then we will stand to the last.”

            “Heh. Death is so easy by you huh?”

            “Get going Eni. I have long sworn by the Bushido code and I will not falter now.”

            As he was about to say something else the gates reverberated and shook with a massive force. Heaving inward before resetting at their hinges.

            “They have come! Prepare yourselves. Archers notch but do not draw. Await my mark to fire.”

            The cliffs were lined with archers, armed with long wooden bows and straight arrows. Armored samurai, monks, and ronin guarded the stairs with me at the head.

            The doors pushed inwards, breaking and falling to the stone path with a tremendous bang. The forces that came forwards filled me with a dread I thought and hoped I would never feel. The samurai and soldiers wore the red and black armor of the shogun but were mixed together with soldiers wearing golden and green armor of the imperial guard. Traitors. I pulled my yumi bow from my back and notched an arrow.

            “You are trespassing on holy land, property of the imperial house, and current quarters of the imperial emperor. If you do not retreat immediately, we will open fire.”

            The troops stayed silent and simply parted, allowing two figures to approach. One wore a set of impressive red war armor set with black coat and masked helmet, while the other wore a pure white hooded robe with a jade breastplate cuirass to protect the chest. I growled as I pulled the arrow back as far as the bow would allow.

            “So you would betray us all. Not only the imperial house but the very people of this nation as well. I cannot say I ever trusted you shogun Herono but you. To think her holiness the imperial empress would commit such treachery and despicable actions. It shames us all.”

            The white robed woman pulls off her hood, allowing her flowing black hair to spill out down to her waist, “You’re wrong Orochi! We would never do such an action in greed or sin. It was I who brought this before the shogun and not him to take it to me. Will you listen to what I have to say?”

            “Your very words plague my existence but speak your piece. My arrow shall rend your lies should you speak them.”

            “Thank you noble and loyal general. I have discovered that the emperor has and intends to continue to sell out our nation to our foreign enemies. The defeats and near losses we have experienced have all been due to the emperor giving away our positions, plans, and attacks days ahead of time, taking away every advantage available to us. He was afraid of losing so he sought to secure his own position even if the enemy took these lands from us. We have documents, eyewitnesses, reports, and letters. His own seal marks these papers. A seal, as you know, only carried by one man upon this earth.”

            Silence fills the walled landscape, naught a single man dares to speak as the general pulls the bowstrings tighter. Suddenly, a swoosh of air marks the arrows flight down towards the empress. She closes her eyes, expecting the sharp pierce of the arrow entering her heart but it never arrives. Instead, a crack of wood echoes off the walls as the shoguns banner topples to the ground, split in half.

            “That banner marks the union of heaven and earth, of emperor and shogun. You no longer deserve to bear such a symbol.”

            The shogun yells up to me, voice clear and filled with conviction, “We have not slain a single man, woman, or child today. Not a single soldier was wounded without physic, not a stone shattered without care, and not a door broken without planned replacement.”

            I lowered my bow and dropped it at my side, sitting down in a lotus position, “Men. Defenders. Samurai. You have heard these treacherous words. And I myself come to an impass as of how to guide you. Each of you has sworn to protect the imperial house but here it lies, divided between attacker and defender. The choice…is yours to make.”

            The defenders looked at each other unsure as of how to proceed until a single samurai steps forward, sheathes his sword, and descends the stairs. Slowly, some of the archers and samurai follow Eni down the cliff face. I sigh and look at the remaining defenders. They look at each other before looking at me, only after that do they grip their weapons with conviction.

            “Go.”

            The nearest samurai speaks, “What do you mean? We must protect the emperor.”

            “No. You must go. The oath all of you took is to defend the imperial house and I will not have you slaughtered to defend the wrong side.”

            “But we-”

            “Yes, you don’t care for the emperor. I can see that. You want to stand by me for your respect for me but I am ordering you to live. Carry your respect for me by protecting the holy empress. GO!”

            The defenders looked at me and I could see tears in some of their eyes but they all retreated down the stairs. Soon, I was alone on the sheer cliff face, looking down over the gathered army of my brothers and sisters.

            The shogun called up, “Will you not surrender too or at least withdraw general Orochi?”

            I start laughing while drawing both my katana, “I am the Heavenly General! Sworn to guard the head of the imperial house, through right and wrong, sin and virtue. The emperor choose me personally to guide his forces and protect his life and my oath extended to the imperial family but specifically to him over all others.”

            The empress stepped forward, “Why? You know he is wrong! He has gotten your own men killed dishonorably yet you stand by him. What madness keeps at you?”

            I spelled out the words with my sword, “I, Lily Orochi, will stand by and protect the holy emperor from all opposition. That being from foreign, internal, familial, or rebel forces. Any and all who wish to stand against the emperor shall become my enemy. Any blade or strike meant for him shall become mine; any dishonorable deed inflicted by his holiness is mine as well to bear. Until death I will stand in protection of the head of the imperial house. All is forsaken in comparison to my protection of his holiness.”

            More silence filled the space as I grabbed the banner and jumped down the cliff face, sliding down to the second landing and planted it proudly. I brandished my blades, swinging them in silver and black arches.

            “Fight me! Show me you are right ad I wrong.”

            The shogun shook his head and his troops fiddled about, unsure, “Fine. I see your troops lack the understanding. Hear me troops of the imperial guard! All those who hold any respect for me, come and challenge me. For me not to fight here would disgrace my honor and force my own death at my own hand! Give me an honorable end at the least.”

            I smiled as my soldiers immediately raised their swords and charged up the stairs while jade arrows began raining over me. I dodged the arrows and traded blows with the first samurai to reach me. I flipped him and sent him tumbling to the landing below before taking an arrow to my shoulder. I yank it out and land a kick into the chest of another soldier. Now a larger group has arrived and quickly attempts to surround me while I charge the group nearest to the stairs leading up to the tenshu. I slam my elbow into one while hitting the other with the dull spine of the blade, knocking him down. I turn just in time as a samurai brings his long nodachi down towards me and I catch it on my other blade. The force behind the swing was admirable and I nearly lose my grip but I slide my blades along it and disarm him, kicking him to the ground. I made short work of the remaining soldiers, knocking each to the ground, when two more arrows buried themselves in my chest. My armor blocked them for the most part but I could feel the sting of them piercing my skin.

 

            “Stop this.”

            I look up from my wounds to see the flowing robes of the empress, “What is her holiness doing in a warzone?”

            “If you will not stop as I have asked you then I will be the one to stop you.”

            She stoops and lifts a sword from the ground and levels it at me, “Heh. Do you remember who taught you how to use a sword in the first place? It takes many years for a apprentice to beat the master. Years of which you have none.”

            “That may be but I will win because I have, as you like to say, the conviction needed.”

            “Oh? And what is that? Wanting to beat your husband and take power for yourself?”

            “No. I wish for my ex husband to face justice for what he has done to the nation but more important to me is that you are freed from that oath to him.”

            “Why is that empress? I did not think we were on such terms for you to worry about me.”

            She took a deep breath but her eyes did not stray from mine, “An oath of that type would prevent marriage yes?”

            “What are you talking about?”

            “I fully intend to wed you once we are all removed from this emperor and I become the head of the house.”

            I felt my cheeks heat up and I was for once glad of my mask, “W-what? What the hell is wrong with you?”

            She began to approach, “I will defeat you. That will prove my conviction. It will prove my love for you.”

            I felt my eyes drawn to her long eyelashes, bright green eyes, full red lips, and beautiful pale skin before I shake my head, “Then prove it. Beat the greatest swords master in all the nation with will alone.”

            She lunged, fading before slashing at me horizontally. I blocked with my right blade but I realized too soon what she was doing. She quickly flicked my blade from my left hand and I placed both hands on my remaining blade. She grinned as I gritted my teeth. She was attempting to disarm me, not fight me.

            I realized what I must do and I raised my blade over my head and charged her. She quickly leveled her sword into a horizontal swing from instinct alone, which is what I wanted. At the last second she spun the blade and it bounced harmlessly off my armor while I drove my shoulder into her, sending her to the ground.

            She rose again, a more determined look in her eye, and leapt at me. I turned my body and placed my blade behind me, preparing to spin. She saw this and feinted towards my blade, blocking it as I spun instead of going for my unguarded side.

            I locked blades with her and hissed, “A real swordsman would have utilized their skill to end the duel as fast as possible.”

            She purred back, which sent chills down my spine, “I’m not a swordsman am I? Besides, that’s not what this battle is about is it?”

            I pushed her away, raising my sword for another strike. I brought my blade down upon hers, the clash of metal echoing off the stone cliff face. I spun my blade sending her off balance and swung at her side. I’ve got her now.

            Her instincts fully took over and she spun to my left and buried her blade in my side. I felt the blood begin to flow as she quickly pulled the blade from my body and I launched another attack at her. She deflected it, pushing me back, a look of fear on her face. Maybe it was fate then, some twist of destiny, that an arrow launched from some soldier below took me in the side, between the ribs. The force drove me to the ground, laying me out with my back against the cliff face. Within seconds a sword clattered to the ground and I felt warm arms around me. I felt my mask and helmet being pulled from my head as I open my eyes and look up into the jade eyes of the empress.

            “So Ji’rinka…you’ve won. Congratulations.”

            Tears filled her eyes and she tried to blink them away, “No I didn’t. This isn’t what I wanted. I wanted you.”

            “You don’t have to lie to me now. I know you just said that for fun. There’s no way-”

            “I love you Orochi. I have since the day I met you. You’re the reason I took sword lessons, archery lessons, tactics, and military trainings. All so I could get closer to you.”

            “You what? So every time you-”

            “Yes. Every time I flirted with you and played it off as a joke, I meant it. When I said there was a ghost in my room and asked you to protect me I just really wanted you nearby.”

            I remembered now, every time the empress had asked for me specifically for anything from tea to learning something. I had just believed her to be a needy royal. How did I never see this coming?

            I felt a drop of water lad on my cheek and I looked up at the crying girl, “Would you consider it?”

            “What?”

            “The medics are coming but the wound is so terrible. Would you consider my offer if you live?”

            “What offer?”

            “Would you give me a chance…to love you?”

            If I had any blood left in my body, it was now in my cheeks, “I-I-I’m not sure. You’re pretty, sweet, and caring. You’re also one of my best pupils. I don’t know. I suppose you deserve a chance, especially as head of the holy empire.”

            She hugged me tight, “Thank you so much! I won’t let you down I swear it. I’ll show you how much I care about you!”

            Next she tilted my head a little and moved closer to me. I stared blankly at her before I realized she was now only inches from my face. Her eyes were wide open, crystalline and deep, and I felt lost in them. She moved a little closer and our lips touched. Her lips were soft and warm. I expected myself to recoil form the touch of a woman but I did not, I expected to hate her but I did not. My chest felt warm and light. Was that the wound? Was I running out of blood? Or was this…love?


End file.
